Don’t skate after eight?

Only Metroparks would close down an ice rink full of people at 8 p.m. over Winter break- and leave the ice empty. I guess they want us to go home- and watch TV- or go drink at bars.

The whole point of having a covered outdoor ice rink- is to let people skate. If they had built it full rink size- there would be hockey teams out there playing until close to midnight- and happy to pay for ice time, but someone had the brilliant idea of building it 3/4 size.

It’s great that you can skate for free if you bring your own skates on Tuesday and Wednesday nights (Monday is broomball)- but, closing at 8 is at least one hour too early. If nothing else- consider having adult skate times- and even consider selling hot toddys- and you’ll have a lot more people at the rink.

Sundays and Thursdays they rent the rink out for $200 from 6-8 with skates and hot chocolate. Friday and Saturday they charge $5 for skating with or without skates – which is still a great deal – considering the same thing costs $10 minimum at Kettering Rec.

I grew up skating outdoors on John D. Rockefeller’s “duck pond” in Cleveland- we had to take our shovels out and clear the ice- and after four or five hours of playing pond hockey- I remember being so cold I couldn’t even get my keys into the ignition. It’s time for Metroparks to consider letting youth hockey teams practice at the rink at least on Saturday and Sunday mornings (they don’t open till 11 a.m.) – and using the rental fees to help pay to keep the rink open later during the week.

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